THE POLICY OF “BALANCING” BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE EURO-ATLANTIC COMMUNITY IS A THREAT TO THE BULGARIAN NATIONAL SECURITY

Monday, 23 April 2018

POSITION

of

the Atlantic Council of Bulgaria

on

the unacceptable forthcoming visit of the Bulgarian President Roumen Radev to Moscow and on the provocative visit carried out by members of the Bulgarian Parliament from the Political Party “Ataka” to Ukrainian Crimea, which is occupied by the Russian Federation

April 23, 2018

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria (ACB) has thus far repeatedly expressed its worry and concern about the policy of the Bulgarian governmental institutions regarding the Russian Federation. A number of actions of these institutions are demonstrating an unfounded and unexplainable position of „keeping head down“ in dealing with the Kremlin. This situation is damaging the image of Bulgaria and is generating a justified mistrust in Bulgaria amongst our friends and allies in NATO and EU.

In a number of documents issued so far, the Atlantic Council of Bulgaria has been insisting that our relations with the Russian Federation must be built on an equal basis, through taking solid positions based on the fundamental principles of the international law.

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria has condemned the refusal of the Bulgarian Government to take a clear and resolute position regarding the responsibility of the Russian Federation in the “Scripal” case.

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria is disappointed with the lack of a clear and determined support of both the Bulgarian Government and the President to the peace-keeping and life-saving operation carried out in Syria by our allies USA, France and the UK.

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria finds out that the conduct of the so called “balanced policy” is de facto grounded on the information clichés of the Russian anti-NATO and anti-European propaganda. The Kremlin is waging a camouflaged and sneaky information war campaign against our civilization by means of truth distortion, “alternative facts” and “post-truths”.

This is a direct threat to our national security. This “balanced policy” represents our country not as a valued and unfailing member of the Euro-Atlantic family, but as a kind of a “bridge“, a “channel” or an “open gate”, allowing for the free penetration of the Russian aggression against the EU and NATO. This policy is becoming an element of the hybrid war that the Russian Federation has been waging against our Euro-Atlantic world. It endorses the existing view that nowadays Bulgaria is purposefully playing the role of a Kremlin’s “Trojan horse” within NATO and the EU.

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria sees as inappropriate the visit of the Bulgarian President to the Russian Federation that is scheduled to take place in May. This visit, at this very moment, is not only deprived of sense, but it also degrades our national dignity in times when the entire civilized world is condemning the Russian aggressive policy in Ukraine and Syria.

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria calls the President Roumen Radev to cancel its planned visit to the Russian Federation.

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria is acutely raising the issue concerning the illegitimate visit to the Ukrainian Crimea peninsula, for the time being occupied by the Russian federation, carried out by members of the Bulgarian Parliament that make part of the parliamentary fraction “United Patriots”, including the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Yavor Notev. This visit is a severe violation of the international norms as well as the territorial integrity of sovereign Ukraine, which is now a target of an open Russian aggression. By its very nature, this visit represents a direct political provocation against the national interests of Bulgaria and it is reprehensible from the standpoint of both Law and Moral.

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria notes that during this provocative visit the Member of Parliament Volen Siderov had declared that “regarding the “Scripal” case, the Bulgarian Government had taken the decision not to expel Russian diplomats from Sofia thanks to the political party “Ataka”. This statement is in serious contradiction with the arguments of the Government at the moment when it took its position on the “Scripal” case and it puts under suspicion these arguments.

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria calls the Prime Minister and the Parliamentary group of Political Party GERB to reject the actions of the political party “Ataka”, which, through this visit to Crimea, had expressed yet again solidarity with the aggressive Russian policy and occupation. We expect that the statements of the leader of political party “Ataka” Volen Siderov, which were made during this visit, will be condemned as nationally irresponsible and degrading the international image of our country.

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria expects that the Bulgarian Prime Minister will seriously think on this provocation, and that he would not ignore the option of issuing a request to the political party “Ataka” to leave the ruling coalition.

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria affirms that any inaction on this case will be considered as a proof for the presence of a heavy and overwhelming governmental dependence on the political party “Ataka”, which has thus far made public its pro-Kremlin, anti-NATO and anti-European positions.

The Atlantic Council of Bulgaria will continue to monitor with growing attention all the attempts and actions of both Bulgarian politicians and state institutions that are aimed at diverting the country away from the already chosen Euro-Atlantic orientation. We will continue to inform the Bulgarian public as well as the governments of the NATO and EU member countries on our findings, positions and ideas on how to strengthen the effective membership of Bulgaria in the Euro-Atlantic family of free, democratic and civilized nations and countries.